Saturday, August 22, 2009

61: New Jersey

Sidney wasn't exactly pleased with me since I shot him down, but he couldn't possibly be mad at me either. Not after we'd finally, once again, gotten back together. I still didn't understand how we were supposed to make things work, but I guessed we'd figure something out later. We might as well just enjoy this good feeling while it lasted. This was becoming so routine for us: fight, make up, have a really great time together to make up for the sucky separation, and then eventually go through it all again.

Hopefully we'd find a way to get off this crazy merry-go-round for once and for all. Honestly, I didn't know how much of it I could take. But the times we shared together after our fights were nothing short of brilliant.

We were still caught up in this mess, but at least we were caught up in it together. I still didn't know what the game plan was, but I'm sure we'd figure it out. Just because we were a couple once again—although Sid would argue, we were never broken up—didn't mean everything was fixed. Far from it. But I was looking forward to the game and a quiet night at home before we tackled the issue at hand. Well, the night wouldn't exactly be quiet, but you know what I mean.

Sid ate quickly, took a long, cold shower, and then slid into bed for a nice, long nap. Not before blaming his exhaustion on having to take care of my drunken ass last night, and that now he was going to have a hard time falling asleep without... release.

He was utterly exhausted, though, and he was asleep within minutes. While he was passed out, I did some laundry so I'd have clean clothes to wear to the game tonight. While they were drying, I napped on the couch. I didn't mean to, but I still felt like shit from the hangover. Sid jostled me awake and pouted, "I knew you should have come to bed with me."

"We both know that neither of us would have slept if that were the case."

"Yeah, but we would have had just as much fun."

"Well, too bad. Because you have to redeem yourself against the Bruins tonight."

Sidney kissed me. "You know, it's times like these that I wish you weren't such a hockey fan. Or a Pens fan."

I laughed and mocked his earlier statement to me, "You knew who I was before we started dating. You knew what you were getting into with me."

He rolled his eyes and pulled me into a big, bear hug. "Yeah, yeah, rub it in."

"Hey Sid?"

"Hmm?"

"You never answered my question. Did we, uh... you know, last night?" I was so timid in asking this question. I wasn't afraid of asking him if we had had sex, but I was afraid what his reaction would be, depending on my reaction to his answer.

"No, we didn't." I felt relieved, and Sid made a face. "You know, you were the one that was coming on to me. I don't understand why you're so happy to hear that we didn't do it."

"I'm just glad that you didn't take advantage of the drunk girl in your bed. Maybe it sounds stupid, but you respected me. It means a lot to me."

He laughed. "Well, you were pretty mad when I kept telling you 'no' last night. And you were making it very hard." I laughed at his double entendre. "I meant, hard to say no! Your mind is in the gutter, Nelly. Honestly," he said, laughing at himself.

He made his pregame snack, and I ran to the basement to pull my clothes out of the dryer. I was kind of pissed that I didn't have his jersey with me to wear it at the game, but it's like Mr. Perfect read my mind.

"Here," he said, handing me a white number eighty-seven jersey. "I figured you wouldn't have your blue one with you."

"What, do you just have a bunch of these lying around?" I joked.

"Um, yeah. I do. I keep some of the ones I wore for big games. That's the one I wore during game seven against the Caps in round two last season."

My mouth fell to the floor, and I clutched onto the fabric of the hockey sweater. "Are you serious? I can't wear this, Sid. It's too much."

"What do you think you've been wearing all season?"

"A blue jersey you bought for me...." I almost didn't want to hear what he was going to say next.

"I didn't buy that for you, Nelly. That's the jersey I wore during the Winter Classic."

I was shocked enough at the white jersey; I didn't have anything left in me to react to that statement. I was wearing his sweater from the 2008 Winter fucking Classic? The sweater he wore during the shootout that won the game, like a storybook ending? It was too much. I said the first—and only—thing that came to mind. "Fucking shit, Crosby."

"What? It's a special jersey, for a special girl."

"You do know that I could sell that thing on eBay and probably pay off my student loans—and still have cash left to spare!"

Sidney grimaced. "I hope you won't."

"No, Sid, of course I won't!" I groaned at him. "But didn't you think that you could've told me what I've been wearing all season? Does anyone know that that's the jersey I've been wearing?"

"No, I haven't told anyone. It's not that big of a deal to me, because I figured it was in good hands. I knew that you'd appreciate the value of it, and you probably wouldn't want to wear it anymore if you knew. But let me tell you, Nelly, nothing gives me a greater sense of pride to see you wearing my number, especially when it's in a sweater that's that important to me."

Oh, fuck me, I started crying. How is that stupid Sid could always make me dissolve into tears? It was embarrassing.

"Oh, shit. Nelly, if it bothers you that much, you don't have to wear it. I just thought—"

I shut him up by pulling the white jersey over my head. "I just wish I knew Sid. All this time...." I slapped his shoulder. "We weren't even official when you gave me that blue one! What were you thinking?"

He smiled that cocky half-grin. "What can I say? I'm just used to getting what I want. It was just a matter of time before you'd succumb to my advances and romantic gestures."

"You're a cocky son of a bitch, you know that?"

He shrugged, still grinning. "I prefer the term self-assured."

We finished getting ready and left Sid's for the arena. It felt so good to be back in this routine, even though I knew the battle wasn't over; this was just the calm before the storm.

I was excited to wait in the lounge and see the players show up. Just like I suspected, Kris wouldn't look at me. Jordan sure was having a good time with it, though. "Nice to see you're still able to walk, Noelle. I hope you didn't wear Sid out, we kind of need him tonight."

"Fuck you, Jordy," I spat, with a hint of laughter in my voice. Only Jordan Staal could get away with saying these things to me.

"I don't know, I'd love to take you up on that. I got the impression that you'd be a fun roll in the hay. But I think Heather might get pissed. Not to mention Sid. Great tits, by the way." I grabbed a cushion off the couch and threw it at him. "So violent! A lover and a fighter. You have to learn to control your temper!"

"You have to learn that you don't just walk into other people's houses!"

"Maybe you should learn to have sex in bedrooms like normal people."

"Where's the fun in that?" I teased. "I can't let things get boring now, can I?"

He laughed. "Where is the stud? Looks like Sid the Kid is finally becoming a man..." he shouted, leaving the lounge and heading for the dressing room to tease Sid about it, too. He was not going to let us live this down.

Good thing I was distracted by Geno as he shuffled into the lounge, dragging his feet behind him and grumbling something in Russian under his breath. "Hey, Evgeni, what's wrong?"

He sunk in next to me on the sofa I was lounging on. "I have give interview before game. I hate give interviews."

"Why? Evgeni, you're such a huge piece to this team. The fans love hearing from you!"

Geno shook his head. "My English is short. They make fun."

I thought about the shirts that poked fun at him, I'm score and Has big taste. "But Geno, don't you get it? It's because they love they you so much. Your English is very good for only speaking it for a few years. And every time I see you, it's better and better."

"I get so nervous. I forget what I learn."

"Everyone gets nervous before they do public speaking; and if they tell you they don't, then they're lying. Just try to relax, and you'll be fine. If not, picture the interviewer in their underwear."

Evgeni crinkled up his face. I'm not sure if he knew the trick to which I was referring, but it got him to laugh and calm down a bit. "Thanks. You know, you help me? You teach me good English?"

"You don't need me to teach you, Geno. You know so much already. You just need to practice with it more."

"Yes, you help practice. Sid say you smart."

I looked down at my hands. Sure, I'd love to help him—it would help me feel like I was actually doing something productive with my life. But I didn't know how to go about teaching someone the language. And I was just as nervous speaking in front of those cameras; I don't know how I would be of any service. "Can I think about it?"

His face lit up anyway. "Thanks!"

"I didn't say I'd do it, G, I just said I'd think about it."

"Oksana say that all the time. It always mean yes."

I laughed as he bounded into the dressing room. Evgeni was right; I probably would end up doing it anyway. I loved all these guys. I could never say no to any of them.

When The Girlfriends showed up, we headed to our seats and I formally apologized to Véro for my behavior at her party, but she waved it off. "Honestly, I don't remember a whole lot from last night anyway. Michel was pretty mad, but he got over it."

"Michel?"

"My cousin," V said.

"Frenchie," Kelsey further explained.

I nodded and leaned back in my chair. The game was gearing up to begin, and I could tell by the look on the faces of the Penguins that today's match against the Bruins would not mirror the one they played against them mere days ago. And it didn't; Crosby not only scored me the couple of goals he promised, but he got his first hat trick since the preseason opener. I was the loudest fan in the crowd when he scored goal number three. I got swept up in the emotion of the fans, and my eyes even teared up a little. Plus, he also got an assist on Letang's goal on the power play. Fleury had a shut out, and the Penguins won, four nothing.

As The Girlfriends and I made our way from our seats back down to the family lounge, a group of Pens fans stopped me on the stairs.

"You're Crosby's girl, aren't ya?" one of them asked.

I nodded, almost scared to give them my answer, but the question was more of a formality than anything else. They knew who I was.

"Whatever you're doing, keep doing it! Ever since that damn story broke, the only time he's played well is when you're in attendance. I will personally chip in to make sure you have a seat at every fucking game for the rest of the season!"

I laughed with the fans. Finally, it felt good to have someone say something nice to me. "You guys have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that. I hope you guys enjoyed the game."

They nodded, told me to tell Sid congrats on the hat trick, and left me alone. Why wasn't everyone else so wonderful about this?

I walked on air to the lounge. Sidney would love to hear what those guys just said to me. But I'm sure nothing could improve his mood even more than what it was right now. He just played his best game of the season, but he scored three goals for me. I had my work cut out for me, to make it up to him tonight.

11 comments:

  1. Awesome update!! So glad that he had a great game! I love what the fans had to say to her!

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  2. ohhh cant wait for next update!!!!

    awww geno is so adorable!!!!!

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  3. oh snap, it's booty time!!

    I heart Geno and his broken English. That man amazes me. Loved this update, oh so much!!

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  4. Who doesn't love a little Geno in there life! Can't wait until tomorrow!

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  5. These udpates make me so happy because they're putting my mind at ease. I love that everyone's happy and getting along!

    And haha oh Geno. His broken english will always hold a special place in my heart!

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  6. Woohoo! No matter how much Jordy teases... He's gotta be jealous tonight! HAHA!!

    Oh Geno, I'm excited to read what happens when she teaches him.

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  7. Hahaha I hope Nelly teaches Geno English...I'd love to see more of him in this story. When he made the Big Taste comment after the cup, I lost it.
    Glad to see some fans are warming up to her.

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  8. The first time I read the chapter I'm like, we're playing Jersey? But the text has Bruins... lol

    Then I got home and read it again...

    It hit me and I was like "wow, I'm an idiot!" lol

    Loved the update! Can't wait until tomorrow*

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  9. Aw, Jay, I loved this chapter.
    Nelly teaching Geno english is such a win!
    I'm glad everything is good between Nelly and Sid too.
    And on a side note, I had no idea that those Geno sayings were on t-shirts. Lmao.

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  10. hahaha. So many great parts to this chapter. "Fucking shit, Crosby" = hilarious reaction. Also, what is that t-shirt site you posted?!? Is it for reals HIS website or something a Pens fan created? Eitehr way, it's hilarious and I want one so I can proudly display it in Philly.

    I find his broken english to be utterly adorable and you captured that perfectly in this chapter :D

    Also, SO happy that some fans were finally nice to her! she needs to see that with the bad comes a whole lot of good with Sidney and that there will be people who support her besides him!

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  11. baaha. I got yelled at by a flyers fan once for having the Max Talbot t-shirt where he's ssshhh'ing the flyers crowd. Such a hilarious experience because he really thought that he told me off but I was too busy laughing with my friends.

    I also feel that maybe the Malkin tee is just too funny to pass up.

    Also, I am totally updating tonight, thanks :D

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